Intro to the Trans-Saharan Trade Cornell Notes

The Sand Roads Trans-Saharan trade route Linked North Africa and the Mediterranean world with West Africa

Sahara Desert The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest hot desert, located in North Africa. The Sahara covers large parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania , Mali, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia. Its surface area of 3,630,000 square miles is comparable to the respective land areas of China or the United States.

Sub-Saharan is below the desert

Trans-Saharan Trade Made possible by the CAMEL! 1st traders = camel-owning people from desert oases Major traders became = North African Muslim Arabs What did they come to West Africa and sub-Saharan Africa for? GOLD!, ivory, kola nuts, slaves Gave in return: SALT!, horses, cloth, weapons, tools

Trans-Saharan Trade What does each region have to offer? North African coastal areas: cloth, glassware, weapons, books Sahara region: copper and salt Savanna grasslands: grain crops Sub-Saharan forests: tree crops like kola nuts and yams

Trans-Saharan Trade and Islam Arab merchants came to live in Africa and so their ideas spread. Arab traders brought the first system of writing and numbers to West Africa. The African kings hired Arabs as government officials to help them take care of trade matters.

Caravans As many as 5,000 camels Hundreds of people Travelling at night Length of journey was about 70 days 15-20 miles walked per day

Construction of Empires New wealth and resources from trans-Saharan trade allowed some regions to construct large empires or city- states Between 500 and 1600 CE Major empires: Mali, Ghana, and Songhai

West African Empires All monarchies Drew upon wealth of trans- Saharan trade Relied on slaves Females used as domestic servants and sex slaves Males used as state officials, craftsmen, miners, agricultural laborers

Cities Within the Kingdoms Urban and commercial centers Traders met and exchanged goods there Centers of manufacturing Items created: beads, iron tools, cotton textiles, etc. Centers of Learning Largely Islamic Mosque in Timbuktu (in Mali)